The French name Brest originated in the northern coastal region of France known as Normandy. The name Normandy was derived from the settlement and conquest of the territory by ("Northmen") better known as Vikings.

Brest Early Origins

The surname Brest was first found in Normandy (French: Normandie), the former Duchy of Normandy, where the family first originated, maintaining their status as one of the more distinguished families of the region.

Brest Spelling Variations

Brest Spelling Variations

One can encounter great variation in the spelling of French surnames; in part, as spelling, and the spelling names was not yet standardized during the early development of the written French language. Later, there was much branching and movement of families, and spellings would change according to region. Variations of the name Brest include Brisson, Brison, Brès, Bris, Brix, de Brix, Bresset, Bresson, Bressot, Brice, Brisse, Brisset, Brissonot, Brissonneau, Brissonet, Brissonnet, Brissot, Brissaud and many more.

Brest Early History

Brest Early History

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Brest research. Another 283 words (20 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1404, 1431, 1467, 1666, 1810, and 1813 are included under the topic Early Brest History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Brest Early Notables (pre 1700)

Brest Early Notables (pre 1700)

Another 43 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Brest Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

The Great Migration

The Great Migration

Approximately 110 years after the first landings by Cartier, there were only about 300 people in Quebec. France gave land incentives for 2,000 migrants during the next decade. Early marriage was desperately encouraged amongst the immigrants. The fur trade attracted migrants, both noble and commoner. 15,000 explorers left Montreal in the late 17th and 18th centuries. By 1675, there were 7000 French in Quebec. Migration to New France (Quebec) continued from France until it fell in 1759. In the year 1675 the Acadian presence in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island had reached 500. In 1755, 10,000 French Acadians refused to take an oath of allegiance to England and were deported to Louisiana. The French founded Lower Canada, thus becoming one of the two great founding nations of Canada. The distinguished family name Brest has made significant contributions to the culture, arts, sciences and religion of France and New France. Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Brest were

Brest Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johann Heinrich Brest, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1709 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)

Brest Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Joseph Brest, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1848 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)

Brest Historic Events

Brest Historic Events

Mr. Harold Brest (1902-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion on 6th December 1917 [2]CITATION[CLOSE]Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance

See Also

See Also

Citations

Citations

^ Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)

^ Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance

The Brest Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Brest Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.